Basketball (M) News

McGruder Named Honorable Mention All-America

McGruder Named Honorable Mention All-America

April 1, 2013

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Senior Rodney McGruder added to his list of postseason accomplishments on Monday when he was selected as an honorable mention All-American by The Associated Press.

The All-America honor is the first of McGruder’s career, while he is the first Wildcat to earn All-America honors since Jacob Pullen earned recognition to several third team teams in 2011. He is fifth player to earn some type of All-America distinction (first, second, third, fourth, honorable mention and freshman) since 2008.

McGruder led Big 12 champion Kansas State (27-8, 14-4 Big 12) in eight categories, including scoring (15.6 ppg.), double-digit scoring games (29), 20-point games (11), field goals (204), field goals attempted (462), rebounding (5.4 rpg.), free throws attempted (117), starts (35) and minutes (33.5). He was just the third player to earn All-Big 12 First Team honors since the inception of the league, joining Michael Beasley (2008) and Jacob Pullen (2010, 2011). For the season, he averaged 15.6 points on 44.2 percent shooting, including 33.6 percent from 3-point range, with 5.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 steals in 33.5 minutes per game.

In addition to All-Big 12 honors, McGruder was named to the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) and National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-District teams. He also was selected to the Big 12 All-Championship Team after averaging 22.3 points and 7.0 rebounds in guiding the Wildcats to the title game. He was only men’s basketball player to earn recognition to the All-Big 12 First Team in both athletics and academics.

McGruder departs K-State in the Top 10 of 14 career categories, including first in games played (135), second in consecutive starts (102), third in minutes played (3,708), fourth in 3-point field goals made (188) and attempted (494), fifth in double-digit scoring games (86), steals (116) and starts (102). He is joins two-time All-American Bob Boozer as the only Wildcats to rank in the Top 10 in both career scoring (1,576, seventh) and rebounding (654, seventh). McGruder is a part of the winningest senior class in school history (101), while he is one of just Wildcats to appear in four consecutive NCAA Tournaments (Steve Henson, Jordan Henriquez and Martavious Irving).

Led by 2013 Big 12 Coach of the Year Bruce Weber, Kansas State enjoyed one of its best men’s basketball season in 2012-13, posting a 27-8 overall record and 14-4 mark in league play en route to its first-ever Big 12 regular season championship and a fourth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. The 27 wins were the second-most in school history, while the 14 in league play tied the school record held by the 1958-59 team. The league championship was the 18th in school history and the first since the 1976-77 season.